Folding cabinet type ironing board



Sept. 26, 1950 F. B. GARGAGLIONE FOLDING CABINET TYPE IRONING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1948 [YA Y "HIHIIIIHIIllllllll llllllllllllllil INVENTOR. J3. Gargqg/icmg ATTORNEY P 1950 F. B. GARGAGLIONE 2,523,425

FOLDING CABINET TYPE IRONING BOARD Filed Feb. 12, 194a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 33 0;, as a 36, IlIW' splay/17mm Patented Sept. 26, 1950 FOLDING CABINET TYPE IRONING BOARD Frank B. Gargaglione, Elmwood, Ill.

Application February 12, 1948, Serial No. 7,819

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ironing boards and more particularly relates to an improved form of foldable ironing board so constructed and arranged as to be readily stored in a confine-d space such as a compartment in a cabinet or table and to be supported thereon at the proper height for ironing when in an unfolded position.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel and simplified form of foldable ironing board of a compact, efficient and inexpensive construction which may be a part of and may be compactly folded and stored within. a cabinet or table or other article of furniture.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a simplified, novel and compact form of foldable ironing board pivoted intermediate its ends so one end may be folded over the other, and pivotally connected to the inside of a storage compartment, for movement about an axis spaced from the board, so the board may readily be folded Within the compartment and dropped below the top thereof and may readily be unfolded and rest on the top wall of the compart ment, together with self-locking means for supporting the board in an operative position when unfolded.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ironing board constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the board in an open position;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the board shown in Figure 1, with the lid of the storage compartment for the board open, and showing the board in a folded or closed position in said storage compartment Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view drawn to substantially the same scale as Figure 2, showing the board in a folded position, and showing the top cover of the storage compartment closed;

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the ironing board, showing the board in an open position and \showing certain parts of the cabinet in substantially longitudinal section:

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken through the cabinet showing the folding part of the board in an upright position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the board in a folded position with the bearing plate for supporting the board, when unfolded, in an upright position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the board showing the board in a folded position and showing certain details of the adjustable brace for supporting the rear end of the board; I j

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing certain details of the self-locking means for the adjustable brace; and V Figure 9 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through the self-locking means for the adjustable brace.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, an ironing board it? is herein shown as being mounted on and as being capable of being stored within a storage compartment ll of an article of furniture, hereinshown as being a cabinet I2, but which may be a table or any other article of furniture desired. j

The cabinet l2 may be of any well known form and includes a back wall l4, forward and rear end walls l5 and I6, respectively, and vertically an'd parallel spaced members i! and 1% connecting the front ends of said end walls together. A shelf {9 spaced upwardly from the bottom of the cabinet connects said side walls together, while an upwardly spaced bottom member 23 forms a bottom of the storage compartment H for theironing board. Hinged doors 2!, 2! close the front of said cabinetand provide access thereto,'for storage of any desired materials. A fcldin'g 'cover is provided to close the top of said cabinet and to serve as a table top when said cabinet is closed. Said cover includes a member 23 extending partially across said cabinet, a member 24 hinged thereto and adaptedto extend the rest of the way across said cabinet and to fold over the top of said member 23, when said cover :is 'opened. Said member 23 is hinged to the outside of the back wall is by hinges 25, 25 and has a vertical retaining wall 26 projecting upwardly therefrom and extending along the rear end thereof, when said cover is closed, and

adapted to engage the back of :said back. wall M, I

to hold said lid in a substantially horizontal'position, when said cover is open. The ironing board Ill, as herein shown, includes a rear part 2'! slightly shorter than the storage compartment H and having 9, forward projecting part 29 of substantially the same length as said rear part and pivotally connected thereto by invisible hinges 39, 3t. Hinges of the invisible type are used to avoid the proiection. of parts above the top of the board and to avoid a gap between the parts of saidboardwhen sa d board is in an extended position, and to pi'votally V connect said 'forward part to said rear part to fold over the top of said rear part and permit said board to be readily stored within said storage compartment ll.

The forwardly projecting part 29 of saidironing board [6 is pivotally connected to the inside of the end wall it; on'laterally spaced hinges 3!, 3|. Said hinges are connected to the inside of the wall 15 beneath the top thereof, and to the rear edge of the forwardly projecting part 29. The pivotal axes of said hinges are located a distance beneath the top of the end wall l substantially equal to half the thickness of the board I0, and are spaced from the bottom of said board a similar distance, so that when said board is folded over itself into the storage compartment II, it will be spaced beneath the cover formed by the hinged members 23 and 24, a distance equal to the thickness of the board, and when said board is in an unfolded extended position the bottom of the projecting part 29 will be fiush with the top of the endwall l5.

A means is provided to bear against the outside of the end wall I5 and support the project ing part 29 of the ironing board H3 in an extended operative position, which is herein shown as being a bearing plate 33, pivotally connected to the bottom of the projecting part 29 by two laterally spaced hinges 34, 34. As herein shown the pivotal axes of said hinges are spaced from the inside of the end wall a distance slightly greater than the thickness of said wall, so that when said ironing board is in an unfolded position and said bearingplate is perpendicular to said board, resilient pads 32, =32 on theouter end of said bearing plate will bear against the outside of said end wall and hold said board in a horizontally extended position. A collapsible brace 35 is provided to hold said bearing plate in a position perpendicular to the ironing board when in the extended operative position shown in Figures 1 and- 4. Said collapsible brace includes a link Sfipivotally connected to a bracket 31, secured to said bearing plate and projecting outwardly therefrom. A link 39 is transversely pivoted to the free end of said link 35 and is transversely pivoted to the bottom of the projecting part of the ironing board by meansof a bracket 45 spaced a substantial distance forwardly of said bearing plate when said board is in the extended position shown in Figure 4. The link 36 has a shouldered portion 4| which is adapted'to be engaged by a-projecting portion 42' of the link 39, to positively hold said collapsible brace and ironing board H3 in an extended position, but 'to permit said brace to be collapsed and folded over the bottom of the ironing board bygpressur'e thereon, towards said ironing board.

A yieldable member, such as a spring43, is'connected with the link .35 at a point adjacent its point of pivotal connection to the bracket 3'5 -at one of its ends. The opposite end of said-spring is connected to the link 39,- at apoint adjacent but spaced from the axis of p'ivota'l'connection of said links, to react against said links'and positively hold the projecting portion 42' in connection with the shouldered portion 4|, until said link is collapsed by hand.

A telescopicself-locking brace 44 connected between the inside of the wall 15 and the bottom of the rear part 21 of the ironing board 15 and '(see Figure 9).

tended,'and to permit the rear part of said board to be moved downwardly and rest on the bottom of the storage compartment 1 i, when said board is in a folded storing position. Said brace may be of any well known form of self-locking brace and, as herein shown, includes a channel member 45 pivotally connected adjacent its upper end 1 to a bracket 46, spaced forwardly from the rear end of said board and depending from the bottom thereof. Said channel member faces and is slidably guided within a channel member Said last mentioned channel member is pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to a bracket 5!, secured to the inside of said P end wall 16 adjacent the top of the shelf 19.

A locking dog 53 having V-shaped recesses 51, 5? at each of its ends is pivotally mounted on the web of the channel member 50 on a pivotal pin 54, extending inwardly thereof. The pivotal axis of said pivotal pin is ccentric of the longitudinal center line of said channel and is shown in Figure 8 as being spaced to the left of said longitudinal center line, so one end of said dog may extend through an opening 55 formed in the channel 45 and in a registering opening 55 formed in the channel 50, when said brace has been extended the proper amount and the board is locked in the extended position shown in Figure 4. When said openings 55 and 56 are in registry with each other, said dog may freely turn about said pivotal pin 54. A disengaging stop 59 is mounted on the web of the channel 45 and extends inwardly therefrom towards the web of the channel 56, along the longitudinal center line of said channel. As said brace is extended said stop will engage the inclined side of one recess 5'! and pivot said dog in a counterclockwise direction into position where the upper edge of said opening 55 may engage an inclined side of the opposite recess 5'i, when said channel 45 is moved downwardly. Further downward movement of said channel 45 will turn said dog in a counterclockwise direction and will move the opposite side of said recess 5'! into engagement with the adjacent side wall of said channel 45. Downward pressure on said brace will thus hold said opposite side of said recess in engagement with said channel and will positively lock said dog from turning movement (see Figure 8). This will prevent collapse of said brace, and will positively hold the rear end of the rear part of said board in an elevatedv position. When the rear end of the board is moved upwardly beyond its horizontal position, said stop will engage said dog eccentrically of its center of rotation and will again turn said dog in a counterclockwise direction, to a released position. This will permit said channels to telescope with respect to each other, so'said board may be lowered to the position shown in Figure '7. A spring 60 is connected between the inside of the end wall l6 adjacent the bracket 5! and the bracket 45, to exert a downward force on said locking dog in addition to the weight of the board and to prevent acci dental disengagement of said locking dog. a

When opening the ironing board, the cover for the cabinet may first be opened by folding it backwardly over'itself. The rear part 2? of the board may then be lifted to. its elevated position by grabbing a recessed portion 8! of said rear'part of said board by hand. The bearing plate 33 may then be pushed upwardly to an upright position and locked in such a position by the brace 35, and the forward part 29 of said board may then be pivoted upwardly and outwardly about of the end wall and positively hold said board in an operative ironing position.

In closing the ironing board the foregoing operations are repeated in a reverse order, it being understood that when the ironing board is folded over itself, its rear part is lifted until the stop 59 disengages the dog 53 from the side wall of the channel 45, at which time the brace 4 1 may then be telescoped to let the board rest on the bottom member 2!) of the compartment! I.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a novel and improved form of foldable ironing board has been provided, which is of a compact form and simple construction, so arranged that it may efficiently be stored out of sight in a small storage compartment, and may be moved to an operative position with a minimum amount of effort and may automatically be held in such a position until manually returned to its stored position.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, an ironing board, a storage compartment therefor having side and end walls, said ironing board having a rear part mounted to fit within said compartment and to extend along the top of said compartment beneath the tops of the walls thereof with its bottom level with the tops of the walls thereof, said rear part having a projecting part transversely pivoted thereto and foldable over the top thereof for storage in said compartment, and to be extended to project from said rear part and said compartment, a hinge member connecting said projecting part of said board with the inside of an end wall of said compartment, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of saidprojecting part of said board and said hinge member mounting said projecting part for movement about a transverse axis spaced from the bottom of said projecting part of said board when said board is in an extended position, and beneath the top of said end wall of said compartment, permitting the two parts of said board to drop beneath the top of said compartment when one is folded over the other, and permitting the projecting part of said board to extend over the top of said compartment, beyond the end thereof anda releasable support member supporting the rear part of said board to extend along the top of said compartment.

2. In a device of the class described, an ironing board, a storage compartment therefor having side and end walls, said ironing board having a rear part mounted to fit within said compartment and to extend along the top of said compartment beneath the tops of the walls thereof with it bottom level with the tops of the walls thereof, said rear part having a projecting part transversely pivoted thereto and foldable over the top thereof for storage in said compartment,

6 and to be extended to'project-be-yond the edge of said rear part and said compartment, a hinge member connecting said projecting part of said board with the inside of an end wall of said compartment, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced 2. fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board and said hinge member mounting said projecting part for movement about a transverse axis spaced from the bottom of said projecting part of said board when said board is in an extended position, and beneath the top of said end wall of said compartment, permitting the two parts of said board to drop beneath the top of said compartment when one is folded over the other, and permitting the projecting part of said board to extend over the top of said compartment, beyond the end thereof, when in an opened position, and telescopic bracing means connected between said cabinet and therear part of said board and supporting the bottom of the rear part of said board on a level with the top of said compartment, and said bracing means being releasable to permit the rear part of said board to drop beneath the top of said compartment for storage.

3. In a device of the class described, an ironing board, a storage compartment therefor having side and end walls and a folding top, said ironing board having a rear part movable to fit within said compartment within and beneath the tops of the walls thereof and to extend along the top of said compartment with its bottom level with the tops of the walls thereof, and having a projecting part transversely pivoted to the forward end of said rear part and foldable over the top thereof for storage in said compartment, and pivotally movable to extend in the place of said rear part and project beyond the edge of said compartment, a hinge member connecting said projecting part of said board with the inside of an end wall of said compartment, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting said projecting part for movement about a transverse axis spaced from the bottom of said projecting part of said board when said board is in an extended position, and beneath the top of said end wall of said compartment, permitting the two parts of said board to drop beneath the top of said compartment and permitting the projecting part of said board to extend over the topof said compartment, beyond the end thereof, telescopic bracing means connected between said cabinet and the bottom of said rear part of said board and supporting the bottom of the rear part of said board'on a level with the top of said compartment, and said bracing means being releasable to permit the rear part of said board to drop downwardly and rest on the bottom of said compartment, and a bearing member transversely pivoted to the bottom of .said projecting partof I said ironing board and movable into a substantially perpendicular position with respect to said board, to engage the outside wall of said com partment and hold said projecting part of said board in extended relation with respect to said compartment.

4. In a device of the class described, an ironing board, a storage compartment therefor having side and end walls and a folding top, said ironing .board having a rear part movable to fit within said compartment within and beneath the tops 7 a of :the walls thereof and to extend along the top of said compartment with its bottom level with the tops of the walls thereof, when said ironing board is in an operative position, and including a projecting part transversely pivoted to the forward end of said rear part so as to fold over the top thereof for storage in said compartment, and pivotally movable to extend in. the plane of said rear part and project beyond the edgeof said compartment, a hinge member connecting said projecting part of said board and the inside of an end wall of said compartment, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting said projecting part for movement about a transverse axis spaced from the bottom of said projecting part of said board and beneath the top of said end wall of said compartment, permitting the two parts of said board to drop beneath the top of said compartment and permitting the projecting part of said board to extend over the top of said compartment, beyond the end thereof, a telescopic bracing member having supporting connection with the rear part of said board to hold said rear part with its bottom on a level with the top of said compartment, and releasable to permit the rear part of said board to rest on the bottom of said compartment, a bearing plate transversely'pivoted to the bottom of said projecting part of said ironing board and movable into a position extending perpendicularly to said board, to engage the outside wall of said compartment, and a collapsible linkage connection between said bearing plate and the bottom of said projecting part of said ironing board, for holding said bearing plate in engagement with said end wall of said compartment, and holding said board in extended relation with respect to said compartment.

5. In a device of the class described, a cabinet having side and end walls and a cover hinged to close said cabinet and form a table top therefor, an ironing board storage compartment beneath said cover, an ironing board pivoted intermediate its ends and including a rear part movable into position to extend over the top of said cabinet with its bottom level with the upper sides thereof, and a projecting part transversely pivoted to said rear part and movable into position to extend beyond said cabinet with its top in the plane of the top of said rear part, and a hinge member connected to the inside of said forward part of said ironing board on the edge thereof where said parts are pivoted together and the inside of an end' wall of said compartment, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed dis tance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting both parts of said board to swing about a transverse axis spaced from the top of said compartment to a position beneath the top of said compartment for storage, and mounting said projecting part to swing upwardly and'outwardly to a position with its bottom flush with the tops of the side walls of said compartment, and into an extended position for ironing and an extensible bracing member connected between a wall of said cabinet and the bottom of said rear part of saidboard, to hold said rear part in extende position. v 6. In a,device of the class described, a cabine having side and end walls and a cover hinged versely pivoted to said rear part, to extend beyondsaid cabinet with its top in the plane of the top of said rear part, a hinge member connected to the insideof said forward part of said ironing board on the edge thereof where said parts are pivoted together and the inside of an end wall of said compartment, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting both parts of said board to swing about a transverse axisspaced from the top of said compartment to a position beneath the top of said compartment for storage, and mounting said projecting part to swing upwardly and outwardly to a position with its bottom flush with the tops of the side walls of said compartment, and into an extended position for ironing, and extensible bracing means extending through the bottom of said compartment and pivotally connected between the bottom of said rear part of said ironing board and a side wall of said cabinet, at a point spaced beneath said compartment, for supporting the rear part of said [board flush with the top of said cabinet when moved to such a position by hand, and adjustable to let said rear part of said board rest on the bottom of said compartment.

7 In a device of the class described, a cabinet having side and end walls and a cover hinged to close and form a folding top therefor, an iron ing board storage compartment beneath said cover, an ironing board pivoted intermediateits ends and including a rear ,part'movable to extend over the top of said cabinet with its bottom level with the upper sides thereof, and a forwardly projecting part transversely pivoted to said rear part, to project from one side of said cabinet with its top surface in the plane of the top surface of said rear part when said rear part extends over the top thereof, and a hinge member connected to the inside of the end wall of said compartment over which said board projects and the inside of said forward part of said ironing board, on the edge thereof where said parts are pivoted together, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting both parts of said board to swing about a transverse axis spacedfrom the top of said compartment to a position beneaththe top of said compartment for storage, and to swing upwardly and outwardly to a position with their bottoms flush with the tops of the side walls of said compartment into an extended position for ironing, a bearing plate pivoted to the bottom of said projecting part of said board adjacent its rear end and movable into position to engage the outside of said cabinet to hold said board in an extended position with respect to said cabinet, and a toggle brace pivotally connected between said board and bearing plate, for holding said bearing plate in extended relation with respect to said board, to positively engage the outside of said cabinet.

8. In a device of the class described, a cabinet having side and end walls and a cover hinged to close and form a folding top therefor, an ironing board storage compartment beneath said cover, an ironing board pivoted intermediate its ends and including a rear part movable to extend over the top of said cabinet with its bottom level with the upper sides thereof, and a forward- 1y projecting part transversely pivoted to said rear part, to project from one side of said cabinet with its top surface in the plane of the top surface of said rear part when said rear rpart extends over the top thereof, and a hinge member connected to the inside of the end Wall of said compartment over which said board projects and the inside of said forward part of said ironing board, on the edge thereof where said parts are pivoted together, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting both parts of said board to swing about a transverse axis spaced from the top of said compartment to a position beneath the top of said compartment for storage, and to swing upwardly and outwardly to a position with their bottoms flush with the tops of the side walls of said compartment into an extended position for ironing, extensible bracing means extending through the bottom of said compartment and pivotally connected between the bottom of said rear part of said ironing board and an end wall of said cabinet beneath said compartment opposite from the end wall to which said hinge member is connected, for supporting the rear part of said board flush with the top of said cabinet when moved to such a position by hand, and releasable to let the rear part of said board rest on the bottom of said compartment, and a bearing plate pivoted to the bottom of said projecting part of said board adjacent its rear end and movable into position to engage the outside of an adjacent end wall of said cabinet and hold said projecting part of said ironing board in extended relation with respect to said cabinet during ironing.

9. In a device of the class described, a cabinet having sideand end walls and a cover hinged to close and form a folding top therefor, an ironing board storage compartment beneath said top of said cabinet, an ironing board pivoted intermediate its ends and including a rear part movable to extend over the top of said cabinet with its bottom level with the upper sides thereof, and a forwardly projecting part transversely pivoted to said rear part, to project from one side of said cabinet with its top surface in the plane of the top surface of said rear part whensaid rear part extends over the top thereof, and a hinge member connected to the inside of the end wall of said compartment over which said board projects and the inside of said forward part of said ironing board, on the edge thereof where said parts are pivoted together, the pivotal axis of said hinge member being spaced a fixed distance beneath the top of said end Wall and beneath the bottom of said projecting part of said board, and said hinge member mounting both parts of said board to swing about a transverse axis spaced from the top of said compartment to a position beneath the top of said compartment for storage, and to swing upwardly and outwardly to a position with their bottoms fiush with the tops of the side walls of said compartment into an extended position for ironing, extensible bracing means extending through the bottom of said compartment and pivotally connected between the bottom of said rear part of said ironing board and an end wall of said cabinet, beneath said compartment opposite from the end wall to which said hinge member is connected for supporting the rear part of said board flush with the top of said cabinet when moved to such a position by hand, and releasable to let said rear part of said board rest on the bottom of said compartment, a bearing plate pivoted to the bottom of said projecting part of said board adjacent its rear end, and movable into position to engage the outside of an adjacent end wall of said cabinet and hold said projecting part of said ironing board in extended relation with respect to said cabinet during ironing, two pivotally connected links pivotally connected between the bottom of said board and said bearing plate, and an engaging connection between said links, holding said links from collapsing when weight is placed on said boards, but permitting said links to be collapsed by pressure thereon towards said board.

FRANK B. GARGAGLIONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland July 16, 1943 I 

